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You’ve completed the application process, but there is still one more obstacle to overcome before being admitted. You may be wondering how to get ready and what questions you might encounter, some of which may be similar to those you’ll hear in a job interview, if you have a university admissions interview coming up. Continue reading for a list of the most typical interview questions for college admissions and suggestions on how to respond to them.
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The interviewers want to know that you are genuinely interested in your field and are pursuing it for the correct reasons, therefore this question is crucial. Explain why you chose the subject in the first place. Perhaps you enjoyed studying it for you’re a levels, or if you’re applying for a postgraduate degree, perhaps one of your undergraduate courses piqued your interest. Show how the topic relates to your career objectives or other aims, but avoid stating your expected salary! Say nothing that suggests you chose the topic because you thought it was “softer” or easier to acquire a place for or that you went with what someone else suggested.
It’s almost a given that you’ll be asked this question during your admissions interview, but it might be phrased a little differently, like “Why did you choose this university?” The interviewers can assess your familiarity with the university and learn more about your motivations by asking you this question. Consider what makes you and the university the ideal match for one another, much like a higher education romance.
Don’t merely comment on how lovely the setting is or how the course “sounds terrific.” By addressing the department’s approach to your subject or whether it has particularly excellent facilities for the course, try to provide specific, considered justifications. Don’t talk about topics like the nightlife or pricing, and avoid saying anything that suggests you didn’t give your choice any thought.
This question, which is more likely to come up if you’ve applied for a major that requires a lot of reading (like English literature), should get you and the interviewers talking. Planning ahead will benefit you here, so pick reading material that is anyway related to the course you’re applying for! Additionally, you might be questioned about a book you recently enjoyed or one that holds a special importance for you. These inquiries provide employers a better understanding of your personality and how truly engaged you are in your chosen subject as well as other areas, in addition to letting them know if you’re an avid reader. It’s an additional opportunity to showcase your passions.
This question can be on anything that you are personally proud of, unless the interviewers specifically ask you to discuss an academic accomplishment. Try to talk about a recent accomplishment and how it had a good impact on you.
You may discuss a prize you received while in school, a test you particularly rocked, or a piece of coursework you were extremely proud of. In contrast, this might also be a non-academic accomplishment; something you did in your free time that received notice, like playing an instrument well or leading a student organization. This exercise will demonstrate your dedication and willingness to go above and beyond what is required of you, and the fact that you managed to do it while finishing your studies demonstrates strong time management.
It can be easy to oversell yourself in response to this admissions interview question, but try to restrain yourself. Give specific examples to support your claims. You could mention extracurricular activities you participated in while in high school that demonstrated your support for the campus community, such as the debating society or event planning. A similar question might be posed at the conclusion of the interview to wrap everything up: “Why should we offer you a place?” Write down everything that makes you the best candidate for the course and the larger university community in this situation.
The interviewer may ask for more than one strength or weakness in this topic, which is frequently asked in employment interviews. It’s easy to respond to the strengths section with a safe, cliched statement like “I work hard.” Again, though, admissions interviewers are seeking a more deliberate response that is supported by instances. The weakness portion of the question can be challenging, but interviewers will be impressed by your self-awareness if you are honest and discuss a flaw that you have already made efforts to address while also describing how you want to maintain working on this.